Bottle packaging machine



J. F. CELLA ET AL 2,899,233

BOTTLE PACKAGING MACHINE Aug. 11, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19. 1954 a //a c //4 INVENTORS 70; F CAZZA L PAUL n/vc/n BY 6- Pa/au Aug. 11,1959 J. F. CELLA ETAL 2,899,233

BOTTLE PACKAGING MACHINE I Filed March 19. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ JOSfPl/ E 0541/) Aug. 11', 1959 Filed March 19. 1954 J. F. CELLA ETAL I 2,899,233

BOTTLE PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l ta / .l .ll

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INVENTORJ JOJfP/I cam BY PAUL amvcm 6% 6- pawl flu arrakamrs J. F. CELLA ET AL BOTTLE PACKAGING MACHINE Aug. 11, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 19. 1954 nomipmcmemezmcm Joseph (Cella, 'Bronxville, .and lPafil Gania,

' fRoy 1 k, t m i nors, by i irec a ,m s'

signments, to ,Clla "Maehineryfflln c New "York, 'N.Y., a eorporation 'df Nework Thi v n i r at tflosfioflos a .Packaging -maehines of-the character fdis'elqsed in cqpending application, Serial No. 3531772, filed on May $8, 1953, now abandoned in favor of continuation-impart application Serial No. 73799 1, filed May 14, I958, and partioi larly to improvements in :a device "for and method of removing ibottlesrfrom :an "inclexing position anfd trans. ferringthem'to a icellillarcrate.

{Dis'elosed" in suehicqpeniiing application is a machine *atiapted to "receive a'suecession 'of 'bottles and a succes- 'sion of creates "and to -transferthe'bottles "so received to the crates. "The *ma'cliineiinclu'des -alzottle earfiersoper- 'acbleautomaticallyto'gtip a crateloatidfbottles disposed on a collectingte'ble anil'move the bottles, :while maintairiing them -'in 'a ve1 tical position, laterally and clown- Wafdlyintq fl'ClfgtE, disposed in a .bottlereoeiving position, and thereafter release rthe ihottles -a njd;reti1rns to "a position adjacent the collecting ;-table for the cycle to be repeated.

An object of ,the rpresent invention .is the provision of a carrier 'of the above described "general -chQzr-acterr1havingflimproved tbottle gripping :elements operable "upon gripping "a 'cornpacteki crate load pf bottles to spa'ce the *botties 'apart so that they will be propefly and readily "received within a "cellular "crate -'into which they are *deposited'by'the'carrier. I

er the above tieseribed character :wherein the (elements 'are -provided with bottle griping -:suifaces shaped $11611 'tl;1'at a bottle "gripped at meek 'between the elements "will be 'urged along the gripping surfaces thereof to "a predetermined "point thereon where it will be positively heltl in "depending *reiation "to the carrier Without any substantial 'ten'deney of'the bottle to swingfree lybeloyv the carrier. 7 e

, *Still another 'oljjeet offthe inyention is the-provision V of a bottle 'carrier hzwing flipping-"elements operable" to grip a-plurality 'of *bottles by {their neeks and-suspend the"-b ottles thereby with suffieiem frictional engagement between the elements -and -the bottles that there "is sub- 'stant-ially no tendency dfthebottleytos swing-freely while I "so "suspended, and" yet as'-"the-"boftlesearennovediinto'the United States Patent 6f 2. carrier having bottle gripping element actuating Patented Aug. 11,

Q t .i

mo h nismdapte be ead ly up e wit i xen sets Qf bottle gripping elements thongh each set iis 'designed to accommodate difierent S .ZS of 'bottles, and operable thqngh coupled with such jdifierent setsgtp 5 actuate .eac'hksetiin ,the proper man n er to efiect the ripping, spacing apa and transfer o'f :the bot l s lintoxa orate Without any adjustment or alternation in the, pgietionofthe.aotu tingtmo hanism- An ther meritor ous f atu t of the i v nt o is .th.

10 provis on .of .an .i npt ve' moihodifor tr nsfe ring;

r te jload of bottles jfnom ani ndei og o lec ng. tai n intoa .crat so tha .ih ib ttl sa s .readilyan easily receivedwithin iheio ate. s

Other ,obiec s, a v ntages and merito o s feature will ,more gfully a pear Tftom t e tfoll wi g modifi ation.

app nded claim and a mp ny ng drawin s wherein: Fig. 1 (Sheet i1) is ,avtop, view of a machineembqdying th invention;andsh wingtthe b tt oc nvoy wand a mat Conveyor whichareadapted to convey bottles and crates into the machine, nd a carrier adopted t ,..t on fi= fil bottles .into "the grates;

1Ei .,;2 "(Sheet 52 is a .side elev tion .of th .macihio Llookingt oward th il ftlhand sideastvievvediinfliig- .1; v g3 (Sheetj2) iis a par a ele aii niof .thefhottl iipflexing station showing vthe par-tier di$RQSd .theroaboiio n lin imposi ion -..to, grip itiielhottles in the station;

vig- 4 vtsheet 3).?is a top view, of the bottle ,carrier n theiolan pii g'harsuonoits moved to a potsit o such :that the ,bars iie endin gfrom th supports "are .4115- posed ,ima l ottle clamp n r-p sition;

- 153- ,5 heet 53:) is similar to Big. -4'thut showssthe flamin i ss pp rtsrm ve iio,a pos tiontsnsh thatth h t id p n ir g therefrom taresdispos d .i ot l in:- ;toeiving, position; i

.lEig. Q (Sheet 1 )siise moss .sectionaLview taken n lin '6.,6 ,otflFi ls;

i i 7; (Sheet v3');-is ta cros ,sectionaLviewg't kenzoutlin is- 8 (She t=-. is.a.t ros isectiona ivi of. the carrier 1 40 taken ,online ofiFig. 5 Another dbjectofrthe invention isgthe-gprovisiondf -improved -co acting gripping elements {for a bottle "carrier ;Fi g..9. (S lt Alisa; detail vi wofi th tomie casssh wp in, Fig. ,3;

Fig. 10 (Sheet 3) is a cross sectional ,view: tak i onsli i 4 -110 of Fig. 8; s

lFi 1 s-(Sheetfi) .ise moss-sec ional view.takon n: lin

ting the ,bottles -,.sp.aced apart throughout,their hei-ghts gs they are scarried;towarditbeibottlewate.

.As ,sl1own in.Figs. Land 3,.,a plurality of ,bottles Byare vveyorj2 2vwhich movesujghe bottles into thevmacbine. As

th .bottles leave the vconvev r they {P ss (ev r-the marshallingeta l fi andiabuti.iho u vedlwa lt24=wl1ih urges them,intbetweenithewallsloand 2 8- whioh extend alongnoppo site edges. of the: conveyor zz. {The wa11s,, 2; 6 .andl are sn oed..apart adismncs oqualll gfi eoombined width of three rows of bottles B, compaeted g getherhas shownint iigali )Theo o-p ra io ofltl esuw wan 24 and the sidewalls 26 and 28 compact the bottles together as they move onto the conveyor 22. The conveyor is continuously driven as is more particularly de-' scribed in our copending application.

As the bottles move into the machine on conveyor 22 they approach an indexing station generally indicated in Fig. 3 as 30. The station is provided with a vertically movable floor portion 32 which is adapted, when in the raised position shown in Fig. 3, to support a crate load of compacted bottles. Four depending pins 34 extend slidably through guides 36 mounted on the framework 37 of the machine. Vertical reciprocation of the table is effected by a fluid piston-cylinder combination 38 mounted on the frame of the machine with the piston operatively coupled through linkage 40 to the underside .of the table.

The cylinder-piston combination is controlled through switches, hereinafter mentioned.

Supported above the indexing station for lateral refaces linearly extending guides 52 and 54. The frame of 'ciprocable movement is a bottle carrier generally indiicated as 42. The carrier is supported above the table by the carrier 42, as shown in Fig. 8, is provided with side members 56 and 58 exhibiting grooves 60 and 62 adapted to slidably receive the guides 52 and 54 respectively.

Disposed to the left of the carrier, as shown in Fig.

;2, is the vertically reciprocable cross-head 64 slidably mounted upon the pillars 66 and 68 which couple the extension 44 to the frame 45 at their upper ends and are attached to the frame 37 at their lower ends. The crosshead is generally T-shaped as shown in Fig. 2, with the body of T-shape at each side of the cross-head exhibiting pillar receiving bearings 70 and 72. The arms 71 and 73 of the T-shaped cross-head exhibit on their opposed faces linearly extending guides 52 and 54 which form extensions of guides 52 and 54 of the members 48 and 50. It may thus be appreciated that the carrier frame,

by virtue of the slidable interfitting of the guides 52, 54, 52 and 54 with the grooves 60 and 62 of the side frame members of the carrier, is laterally slidable through the machine to a position over a crate C disposed in the machine as shown in Fig. 2.

To move the carrier laterally as aforesaid a cylinder 74 is mounted on the cross-head by a pair of triangularly shaped brackets 76 and 78. A piston 80 operably received within the cylinder is coupled at its free end with a bracket 82, mounted on the side frame members 56 and 58 of the carrier as by the screws 84 and 86 received within the holes 88 and 90 of the side frame members. a

In a well known manner fluid pressure may be applied within the cylinder to reciprocate the piston. As the piston reciproeates the carrier is drawn from a position over the indexing station to a position within the crosshead and over a bottle crate C disposed in the machine.

Vertical reciprocation is imparted to the cross-head by a cylinder 92 mounted on the frame 37 of the machine, and a piston 94 operably received within the cylinder and coupled at its free end with cross-head as at 96. Fluid pressure applied to the cylinder in a well bottles transferred from.the indexing station by the carrier.

In general the crate positioning mechanism 100 comprises a fluid operated cylinder-piston combination 102, operably coupled with a pair of parallel crate elevating bars 104 and 106, spaced apart and disposed one on each side of the conveyor 98. Upon the actuation of the combination 102 the bars are elevated to raise a crate, disposed above the bars and on the conveyor, off the conveyor and into a bottle receiving position.

Such position is cooperatively determined by: the position of the crate during its travel on the conveyor at the instant fluid pressure is applied to the combination 102 to elevate the bars; the amount of elevation of the bars and the position of the arresting bracket 108 which is slidably adjustably mounted on the frame 37 by the slot 110 in the bracket and the screw 112 passing therethrough and threaded into the frame 37. The arresting bracket is adapted to engage the leading edge of the crate and hold the crate positioned on the elevating bars when they have raised the crate from the conveyor.

The carrier 42, which transfers the bottles from the indexing position to the awaiting crate, is constructed as shown in Figs. 4-12.

The bottles B shown in the figures are conventional milk bottles, generally square in cross section. The crates are conventional milk bottle crates having a cellular network of partitions 114 therewithin. The partitions or cells may be defined by strands of heavy wire crisscrossed as shown, or by sheetmetal stampings. The cell walls may also be formed of wood, plastic or the like. Withthe exception of wire strands, the other materials of which the partitions or cell walls are formed, present generally fiat upper edges as at 116 and 118. Such edges have been found to be particularly troublesome when a crate load of bottles was attempted to be deposited in the crate because frequently the bases of the bottles would catch on the upper edges of the cell walls and prevent the introduction of the bottles into the cells.

As disclosed in our above identified copending application, reject mechanism coupled with the elevating bars, would be actuated to cause the carrier to return a crate load of bottles to the indexing station if the bottles would not be properly received within the cells. The reject mechanism was coupled with the elevating bars so that as a crate load of bottles descended toward the crate, if

any of the bottles contacted an object in the crate which prevented the full introduction of the bottles within the cells, the crate and bars would be moved downwardly under the force of the carrier transmitted through the bottle which was not being properly received by the crate, and a trip switch was thereby actuated which caused the carrier to return the bottles to the indexing station.

It was found that the most frequent cause of bottles not being received by the crate was that the bases or floors of the bottles would catch on the upper edges 116 and 118 of the cell walls as the bottles were moved into the crate. Such catching of the bottles on the cell walls was due to misalignment of the bottles with the cells. The reasons for the misalignment may be better explained in connection with the structure of the carrier.

The carrier 42, which transfers the bottles from the indexing position to the awaiting crate, is constructed as shown in Figs. 4-12. Figs. 4, 5, and 9 show the side frame members 56 and 58 of the carrier connected at each end with the cross frames 120 and 122 by means of screws 124 extending through members 120 and 122 and threadedly received within blocks 126 mounted adjacent the ends of side frames 56 and 58.

The opposed faces of side frames 56 and 58 are provided with linearly extending grooves adapted to slidably receive a marginal edge of clamping bar supports 130 and 132. Another pair of clamping bar supports 134 and '136 are disposed between supports 130 and 132 and held in horizontal alignment with the latter by the cross members 138 and 140, through which pass the screws 142 fastening supports 130 and 136 to cross member or elem 13 and a n n supp r s. M 16 L32? e .res m mb r el m n let-0,

Six laterally movable hottle gripping bars, or clamping her 1 4, .4 5 nd arr n ed. 9.- ep re bottle c mpin Pa r .su h as he. p s eo s s of h 144 n 46, 148 an 1.5 a d-15 an 1.54. a o p w h e p ts 0 32 34end136 to d pen h r ema h b i rzr y dedz w t a p i o a s 1 n :5 'W Q a astened s. y s e s .5 o h uppor s t e becom ppare tha p n mo em of he ss m mb r owar an away ront e c other the c ippi g s. e eh. pa ;h e gh th s pp 1.30, 32. .3 mi 3 ,.w mi a y. m ved- T fe such move en o th rippi .hers,.-a id ope at y n e -pi te comb nat on. 1.58 is co p d-a o n o r ss memb m at h e h ner p s n end, to cross member 138. Such coupling is efiected through supporting blocks and 162. 'lfheblocks are securedto the cylinder-piston combination in any conve i nt' menne Eaeh e kis se uredt s e p etiy ro s emb by a fixe p .64 moun d on thee s m m e and e d n h o h a ho e 1. n: the l ek- A screw 16,8, threadedly received'within the cross member, extends through a hole in the bloc ,v and is adapted to removably secure the block to the cross me be It ay b n w ppr ate t a hponr m e ofs ews 1.68 nd r w 2 he cro f ame 2.0m y ber n ed f om the c ie d th l ihder-p toncom na n .8 may belifted her rom w t he resul tha th g ipp n h rs uppo s th e r and he g s ht mh rsamay. he slidably withdrawn from the carrie for repair or replace, them h r p in a s d men n d t i bo l s of another size or shape.

In o t above eht fiehe en ns app i at he r pping bars of each pair off bars were; recessed along their pr e a e at po s sn s h eerl he e s e bars were l shaped in cross, sectionwith the f o ot o f the L adapted to partially encircle a bottle neck disposed between the bars of each pair with the lip of the mouth of the bottle resting upon the upper edge of the test of the. LI-shape bars. With the bottles supported by catching the under edge of the lips of the mouth, they were free to swing beneath the carrier} Consequently, as the carrier moved laterally through the machine, stopped abruptly, and was then moved downwardly into the crate, the bottlesswung somewhatbeneath the carrier andfre quently the floor or bottom wall; of one or more of the bottles would catch on the upper edge of thecell walls and consequently not be placed in the cellsof the crate.

' The gripping barsdisclosed herein obviate the above problem because they are adapted to grip. the bottles in a positive manner and prevent any freelyswinging move,- ment. The bottle gripping, portions of the bars are also shaped such that if the floor of the bottle engages the upper edge of a cell wall, with the resultant eif'ect of the bottle being forced up against the gripping portions of the bars, the bottle will not jam between the gripping surfaces, as with the bars. Of'QllI eopending application, but rather will tend to pivot between the gripping surfaces so that the base of the bottle finds its way into its intended cell. The gripping portions of the bars are also so shaped that as the bars move to grip the bottles, the bottles'are spaced apart at their necks the distance between adjacent cells of the crate to be filled, and as the carrier moves the bottles laterally through the machine toward the. crate, the bases of the bottles move into alignment with the necks.

To accomplish these desirable results, the opposed faces of the gripping bars of each pair of bars are oppositely complementally arcuately recessedas at 172 and 174, The axes A of the arcuate recesses are spaced apart linearly of the bars a distance equallingthe spacing be; tween. the axes A oi adjacent cells infa. crate C.' As shown in Fig. ll, when the bars are spacedfapart, or are 6 disposed in he bo le rece v ng PQSi iOm. nd thez nd xh s a i n i ul o a ra e lo d of bo t -commend to h n rr n ed n ow the x s Ao he recesses re f s inear y o h a e Ab o the bo t s- A S own in 7. h Well .Q v a h re s is sh ped t o d a ve ca ly xt ndi po o 76 whieh is p ced f om h l p 17 of the bo tle w nzth ba eat in the bottle gripping position. Just below portions 17,6 the wall flares. out defining a convex rib whicheggtends a one h sh ll o e re l nea ly .q h b s; and terminates at the edges of the recess. Ihisnb-is heree eon o m t e cu v efi he 'hett eh ek beth vertically an h r zo y wi l h no e tha he opposed ribs in each pair of opposed recesses, or pay es. a e pt d to e e e bo t es a the r ne ksp j below he ps o e me th he o posed s S cooperate to hold the bottlessuspended beneath-the ca y t i g ip n a o pon he ks.- TZhi g pin action is positive and of suiiicient force, by virtue of the fluid vcylinder-pistor combination 158, that thegbottles do not slip down between the bars. so that the lips ofithe mouths of the bottles engage the ribs. 7

Figs. 7 and 13 show the bars in relation to the bottles before the bottles are gripped while Figs. 1 4; 15 and; 12 show the relationship after the bottles have been gripped; Fig. 14. shows the bottles after they have been gripped but before the carrier has begun to move toward the awaiting crate. It will be remembered that thev bottles disposed in the indexing station are compactedtogether because ofthe force exer.ted.upon.,them by the bottles re maining. on the conveyor 22. When the bottles are grippedby the bars they are spaced apart at their necks sncli that the distances between'the axesA of the bottles taken at their necks equals the distance betweenthe A of the cells of the crate to be filled. Because the bottles are held compacted together at their bases when gripped; only the upper portions of the-hottles are spaced apart;

The bases of the bottles are held compacteditogegher after the bottles have been gripped because of; thebottle fence 182, generally illustrated in Fig. 3. The fence coupled with the cylinder-piston, combination 3 8. such thatas. combintion38 is actuated to cause the collecting table to drop away from the bottles supported by carrier, the fence is elevated to prevent bottles on 0115 .veyor 2; from moving onto the collecting table while the carrier is depositing bottles in the crate. The fence "is disposed to be elevated, as is more particularly dgstihed in he eb e id nt fie e p n g app ication, e w n the leading row of bottles remaining on conveyor 22 the adjacent row of bottles disposed on the collecting table.

When the fence is. elevated it holdes the. bottles o n table in compacted relationship at their bases, The coin: pacted relation of the bases of the bottles and the spaced apart relationship of the necks of the bottles aiterfthey have been gripped; accounts for the inclination ofjthe bottles shown in Fig. 14. v

The convex rib 180 of the gripping bars tends to urge the inclined bottles into a vertical position withinthe indexing station. As the carrier moves the. bottles of the station and away from the bottle fence, the bottles are permitted, under the urgingof the bars, to be spaced apart throughout their heights, such that the distances be tween the axes A of the bottles at their bases are equal to the distances between adjacent cells of the cratetofbe filled. Fig. 14 shows the spacing apart ofthe bottle at their bases just be e he r dene ed n he; awaihn crate.

Because of the somewhat convex shape of the ribslSQ in cross section, and the fact that the ribs conformft o the curvature of the bottle necks at the point of contact of the ribs with the bottles, plus the further fact that the lips of the mouths. of the bottles are spaced'above-the ribs. and from the walls of. the recess. of the bars gripping action of the bars is ofla chaiacterf t t e be r ve ed sli t e ueehl he'r because the bottles may pivot slightly that upon contact of the base of a bottle with the upper surface of a cell wall in the crate, the bottle will pivot to find its way into the intended cell. While the bottle will not so pivot and find its way into the intended cell if the axis of the bottle is substantially offset from the axis of the intended cell, such pivoting will occur if the offset is slight, i.e. from A of an inch or less.

The cylinder-piston combination 158, which is operable to move the bars, is so constructed that the piston does not reach the limit of its stroke when the bars are moved to the bottle gripping position. Consequently, the bars when moved into the bottle gripping or clamping position, shown in Figs. 7, 12, 13 and 14, are constantly being urged or tensioned toward the necks of the bottles. Such tensioning of the bars toward the bottle necks, plus the amount of surface contact between the ribs 180 and the bottle necks, prevent any freely swinging movement of the bottles, but yet permit slight pivoting of the bottles between the ribs if the base of a bottle contacts the upper edge of a cell wall as aforesaid. The spacing apart of the bottles from the position shown in Fig. 14 to the position shown in Fig. 15 is not accomplished through a free swinging of the bottles to a vertical position, but rather, by virtue of the tensioning of the bars toward each other and the tendency of the bottles to fit between the ribs of the opposed recesses such that the necks of the bottles conform to the shape of the ribs complementing the shape of the bottle necks. In spacing the necks of the bottles apart, the gripping bars impart movement to the bottle necks simultaneously in two directions, as indicated in Fig. 12 by the arrows L and L Arrow L indicates the spacing of the bottles linearly of the gripping bars or rows of bottles, and arrow L indicates the spacing laterally of the rows or bars. The linear spacing of the bottles occurs through the coaction of the ribs of opposed recesses.

The linear spacing of the bottles from the position shown in Figs. 11 and 13 to the position shown in Figs. 12 and 14 occurs when the inner ends 186 of the ribs 180 in each pair of recesses contacts the necks of the bottles. The arcuate shape of the ribs urge the bottle necks linearly along the ribs and into the opposed recesses. The bottles disposed adjacent the end of the bars move farther than the bottle disposed between them. When the necks of the bottles are fully moved into the recesses they are disposed as shown in Fig. 12.

Lateral spacing of the bottle necks occurs because as the upper and lower pairs of bars, as viewed in Fig. 11,

move to grip the rows of bottles disposed therebetween, the upper and lower rows are carried laterally away from the center row a distance such that the spacing between the axes of the bottles of adjacent rows taken at the bottle necks, equals the spacing between axes of compleinentary rows of the crate.

Fig. 11 shows the bars in the bottle receiving position and with the distance D between the linear opposed faces of the bars of each pair exceeding the outside diameter of the bottle necks. Such spacing permits the rows of bottles to move onto the collecting table between the opposed bars of each pair.

In the operation of the machine, the bottles move into the indexing station 30 and fill the collecting table. They are compacted together and arranged in rows as they move into the station. When the leading bottles reach their limit of travel and the collecting table is full, a plurality of limit switches 184 are actuated which cause the cylinder-piston combination 158 to move the gripping bars which grip the bottles. Concurrently a succession of crates are moving into the machine on conveyor 98. The leading crate reaches a predetermined position and actuates a limit switch which causes the cylinder-piston combination to elevate the lifting bars 104 and 106 to raise the crate into the bottle receiving position.

"- 'Whenthe-crate"has'reaclied such position, and the .8. carrier has gripped the bottles, an electric circuit is completed which causes the cylinder-piston combination 74 to move the carrier and bottles out of the indexing 'station and toward the awaiting crate. Cylinderpiston combination 92 is actuated when the carrier reaches a position aligned with the crate, and the carrier is thereupon moved toward the crate. The bottles 'enterthe crate cells and a limit switch is tripped actuating the combination 158 to cause the gripping bars to release the bottles. Through suitable switches the car- 'rier is then caused to return to the indexing station and the filled crate is fed out of the machine on conveyor 98. The circuit diagrams, function and position of the various limit switches above mentioned, and the fluid lines leading to the cylinder-piston combinations are more specifically set forth in our above identified copending application.

' What we claim is: v

' 1. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate, a pair of coacting bottle gripping bars supported upon the carrier for movement in a common plane toward and away from each other,the opposed faces of said bars provided at spaced intervals with bottle receiving recesses, the walls of opposed recesses being shaped such that when the bars are moved toward each other and into gripping engagement with the neck of a bottle disposed between the bars the lip of the mouth of the bottle is spaced from the walls with a lower portion of the Walls in gripping contact with the neck of the bottle, and the bars being movable away from each other a distance sufficient to permit a bottle disposed opposite a pair of opposed recesses to move linearly between the bars to a position opposite another pair of recesses.

2. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate, a pair of coacting gripping bars supported for movement in a common plane toward and away from each other, mechanism coupled with the bars to move each toward and away from the other, the opposed faces of the bars being recessed at points spaced apart linearly along the bars, and the walls of the recesses being shaped to conform to a bottle neck and exhibiting a convex rib portion engageable with the neck of a bottle disposed between the bars.

3. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate, a pair of coacting bottle gripping bars supported for movement toward and away from each other, the opposed faces of the bars being recessed at opposite points spaced apart linearly along the bars with the recesses opening through the bottom of the bars, the wall of each recess exhibiting a linearly extending arcuate rib convex in cross section and extending away from the wall of the recess a distance exceeding the thickness of a bottle lip.

4. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate, a pair of coacting bottle gripping bars supported for movement toward and away from each other, the opposed faces of the bars being recessed at opposite points spaced apart linearly along the bars with the recesses opening through the bottom of the bars, the wall of each recess exhibiting a linearly extending arcuate rib convex in cross section and disposed adjacent the opening of the recess through the bottom of the bars, said bars being movable toward each other to one position to grip a bottle neck between the ribs with the lip of the mouth of the bottle disposed spaced from the rib and from the walls of the recesses, and said bars being movable away from each other to another position with the ribs spaced from the bottle neck and with the opposed faces of the bars intermediate the recesses spaced from each other a distance exceeding the diameter of the neck of the bottle adjacent the bars.

5. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate, a pair of coacting bottle gripping bars supported for movement toward and away from each other, the opposed faces of the bars being op positely arcuately recessed at intervals along the bars With the recesses spaced from the upper edges of the bars and opening through the lower edges of the bars, the wall of each recess exhibiting a rib portion convex in cross section and conforming to the arcuate shape of the recess, and each of said ribs being disposed spaced downwardly from the upper edge of the recess a distance exceeding the thickness of a bottle mouth lip.

6. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate, a plurality of parallel gripping bar supporting members supported for longitudinal movement, a plurality of parallel bottle gripping bars disposed perpendicularly to the members with alternate bars secured to alternate and different supporting members for movement therewith, and mechanism coupled with the members to move adjacent members in linearly opposite directions.

7. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate, a plurality of parallel gripping bar supporting members supported for longitudinal movement, a plurality of parallel bottle gripping bars disposed perpendicularly to the members with alternate bars secured to alternate and different supporting members for movement therewith, and a pair of spaced apart cross members overlying the supporting members and disposed perpendicularly with respect thereto and with each cross member secured to alternate and different supporting members, and mechanism mounted on the cross members and operable to move the cross members toward and away from each other.

8. In a bottle carrier for transferring a plurality of bottles into a crate: a pair of coacting gripping bars; mechanism coupled with the bars to move them toward and away from each other; the opposed faces of the bars oppositely arcuately recessed at linearly spaced apart points to exhibit pairs of opposed recesses with the distances between the axes of adjacent pairs of recesses equalling the distances between the axes of adjacent cells in a bottle crate; the wall of each recess exhibiting a convex rib following the wall and extending linearly of the bars; said bars being movable away from each other to a position such that a bottle neck may be disposed between each pair of bars with the axis of the bottle offset linearly from the axes of a pair of opposed recesses, and movable toward each other to another position to urge the convex ribs against the bottle neck and cause movement of the neck longitudinally of the bars and into the pair of recesses.

9. In a machine for transferring a compacted plurality of bottles into a cellular crate and spacing the bottles apart during the transfer and having an indexing station dimensioned to receive a crate load of vertically disposed compacted bottles arranged in rows corresponding in number to the rows of cells in a bottle crate; a carrier having movable opposed bottle gripping bars for each row of a crate load of compacted bottles disposed in the station in rows, the bars of each pair being complementally arcuately recessed at spaced intervals along their opposed faces, said recesses being spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between adjacent cells in a bottle crate with the bars and recesses disposed with respect to a compacted plurality of bottles arranged in rows in the indexing station such that the axes of the recesses are offset linearly of the axes of the bottles in each row, the wall of each recess exhibiting a rib portion convex in cross section and extending linearly of the bars with the ribs of opposed recesses being cooperable as the bars move toward bottles compacted in rows in the station to engage the bottles at their necks to urge and tension the bottles apart linearly along the rows.

10. In a machine for transferring a compacted plurality of bottles into a cellular crate and spacing the bottles apart during the transfer and having an indexing station dimensioned to receive a crate load of vertically disposed compacted bottles arranged in rows corresponding in number to the rows of cells in a bottle crate; a bottle carrier comprising: movable opposed bottle-gripping bars for each row of a crateload of compacted bottles disposed in the station in rows, said bars shaped to define along their opposed faces complementary opposed linearly spaced apart arcuate bottle gripping recesses shaped in cross section to define a convex rib portion extending linearly of the bars, said recesses being spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between adjacent cells in a bottle crate, said bars being disposed spaced above the station in a position to contact at the necks a compacted plurality of bottles arranged in rows in the station with the axes of the bottles of the rows offset linearly of the bars from the axes of the recesses, and the ribs of opposed recesses in each pair of bars being operable as the bars move toward the bottles compacted in rows in the station to urge the necks of the bottles into the recesses and tension the bottles apart linearly along the rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,036,421 Luckie Apr. 7, 1936 2,467,113 Deiters Apr. 12, 1949 2,561,536 Rowe July 24, 1951 2,666,562 Birch Jan. 19, 1954 2,709,012 Lessard May 24, 1955 2,718,426 Nagy Sept. 20, 1955 

